The purpose of this study is to use porcine small intestinal submucosa (PSIS) as a corneal graft in 10 cases of staphyloma in dogs.

Materials & Methods

Corneal grafts using porcine small intestinal submucosa (PSIS) were performed in 10 dogs with staphyloma. After general anesthesia and aseptic preparation, nonviable tissue was removed from the recipient staphyloma bed. The iris was pushed back into the anterior chamber before carefully detached from the corneal wound. The PSIS graft sheet was rehydrated in lactate Ringer's solution for 5 minutes prior to the placement on to the corneal lesion, and interruptedly sutured to the cornea with 8/10 polyglactin. The third eyelid was sutured on to the palpebral conjunctiva with simple Mattress using 6/0 silk for 14 days.

Result

Within 7 weeks, all dogs returned to normal vision with pupillary light and menace reflexes. Minimal anterior synechia and scar in accordance with the size of prior corneal lesion were present.

Conclusion

PSIS is effective to be used as a corneal graft to repair staphyloma in dogs without immune rejection. PSIS is dissolved after providing a structural framework for the ingrowth of the recipient capillary and cellular migration into the wounded area.